Electrical circuit



April 28, 1931. F. K. HERSCHMANN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT Filed April 1, 1927Patented Apr. 28, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITApplication filed April 1,

The present invention broadly relates to improvements in electricalcircuits and more particularly to electrical circuits for use in radiocommunication.

This application is a continuation in part of my prior application forpatent, Serial No. 3,158, filed Jan. 17, 1925.

Electrical circuits are usually constructed of wire of ductile metallicconductive material such'as copper and the entire circuit is assembledand put together by joining a number of pieces of ,wire as by solderingor other means. When the wires are used to electrically connect variousinstruments such as those used in a radio circuit, the instruments aremounted on a supporting member such as a panel and the ends of the wiresare connected to the various instruments by means of binding posts orthe like. The construction of an electrical circuit and particularly ofa radio circuit as hitherto practised requires an'intimate knowledge ofthe electrical and radio arts in order that the person constructing thecircuit may assemble the same properly, and it also necessitates theexpenditure of considerable time in suitably locating the instrumentsand in making the various connections. It also is necessary to use ameans for supporting the instruments and to make provision forsupporting and concealing the wires comprising the conductors of thecircuit in order that the appearance of the resulting apparatus will beas pleasing as possible.

My invention aims to provide an electrical circuit particularly adaptedfor use in radio communication either as a receiving or a sendingcircuit which is self-supporting and also serves to support the variousinstruments included in it and one which may be readily put together andthe instruments properly located without difficulty or requiring anyextensive knowledge of radio.

With the above end in view my invention in its preferred formcontemplates the provision of an electrical circuit composed of a rigidself-supporting conductive member or memberswhichare adapted to becarried on v a suitable base or support. In one modifica tionof theinvention the circuit is formed as 1927. Serial No. 180,125.

a single member and portions are broken out of this member to provideplaces wherein the various instruments may be located and supported. Inanother embodiment of the invention, the circuit is adapted to be builtup oi a number of small rigid members which are secured together orinterlocked in any convenient way, and a rigid solid circuit is thusconstructed containing and supporting the various instruments at theplaces desired. The conductive members comprising my improved circuitmay be composed of a single material, which must be both rigid andconductive, or they may be composed of two or more materials, one ofwhich is rigid and another of which is conductive so that they form amember which is both rigid and conductive.

For a better understanding of my invention reference will now be had inthe aca part of this Referring now more particularly to the drawings,which are to be considered merely as illustrative and to the details ofwhich I do not intend to be confined, there is shown in Figure 1 adiagram of a simple radio receiving circuit comprising an antenna,

10, induction coil, 11, and a ground wire, 12. The antenna leads to theset through a conductor, 13, while a conductor, 14, connects the set tothe ground wire, 12. Across the conductors 13 and 14 and in parallelrelation therewith there is placed a variable condenser 15 for tuningthe circuit. The conductor 13 connects with the grid 16 of thethree-electrode vacuum tube 17, which serves as-the detector while theconductor 14 is connected to the filament 18 of the vacuum tube. Thecircuit of the filament 18 is heated by a battery 19 and includes anadjustable resistance 20 whereby the current through the filament may bevaried. The plate 21 of the vacuum tube is connected to one terminal ofthe ear phones or loud speaker of the set by means of a conductor 22while the filament is connected by the other terminal of the ear phonesor loud speaker through a battery 23.

As pointed out above this circuit is of a conventional and well knowncharacter and I have merely shown it for the purpose of illustrating myinvention, one embodirent of Which is shown in Figure 2. This figureshows a solid self-supporting circuit constructed in accordance with myinvention employing the circuit arrangement shown in Figure l andincluding and supporting instruments included in said circuit. Byreference more particularly to said Figure 2 it will be noted that therigid self-supporting member comprising the circuit includes a pluralityof slender, elongated, rigid elements comprising the conductors of thecircuit. In the embodiment of the invention shown in this Figure 2, thecircuit is substantially composed of a single rigid member including thevarious conductive elements and is supported on a base or the like byleg members 24. The rigid self-supporting circuit has portions brokenout of it at various places and at these places the instruments includedin the circuit are inserted and are supported by the circuit itself. Thecircuit shown in Figure 2 is analogous to that shown diagrammatically inFigure 1 and the same numerals are employed in both figures so that anunderstanding of the electrical characteristics of the modificationshown in Figure 2 is readily apparent. The-embodiment'of the inventionshown in Figure 2 is particularly desirable inasmuch as 'it enables thesolid circuit to be sold as a unit with portions marked 'for location ofthe instruments which may be readily put in place and assembled.

In lieu of constructing my improved circuit of a single rigid member andbreak- Ling out portions of this member for the disposition of theinstruments, I may build up the circuit from a plurality of small rigidmembers and oin or interlock the small members in any suitable way. InFigure 3, I have shown a fragment of a circuit constructed in accordancewith this embodiment of the invention and by reference to said figure itwill be noted that the circuit includes a plurality of small slenderelongated conductive members 25 which are interlocked and connectedtogether as by means of tongue and groove joints 26. My invention is notc'onfined' to the particular manner of joining the rigid members shewiiin Figure 3 but maybe practised with any suitable means for connectingor interlocking the members together.

WVhile it is essential that the elements comprising my circuit becomposed of rigid and conductive material it will be understood thatthis material may be of any suitable characteror of any compositionhaving the required properties. In lieu of employing a conductiveelement of uniform material, I may use the construction shown in Figure4 wherein the circuit is formed of elements comprising a rigid solidcore 27 made of such a material as steel and a coating or covering 28 ofa more ductile conductive material such as copper. The composite elementthus formed has the required rigidity due to its steel core while italso possesses good conductive properties owing to its copper coating.the scope of my invention to use any type of composite element which maybe formed in any suitable manner. The copper coating 28 may be appliedto the steel core 27 either by electroplating or in any other manner.

It will be understood that the invention is not confined to the variousdetails described and I desire to be limited only by the state of theprior art and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A substantially complete radio circuit in which substantially all ofthe conductors enter into and form a rigid unitary network and in whichnetwork the electrical instruments of said circuit are mounted andsolely supported comprising a plurality of rigid conductors, means forjoining said conductors together to form said circuit and said rigidunitary network, and electrical instruments in said circuit, saidelectrical instruments joined in and supported solely by said network.

2. A substantially complete radio circuit in which substantially all ofthe conductors enter into and form a rigid unitary network and in whichnetwork the electrical instruments of said circuit are mounted andsolely supported, comprising a plurality of rigid conductors, means forjoining said conductors together to form said circuit and said rigidunitary network, and electrical instruments in said circuit, saidelectrical instruments joined in and supported solely by said networkand lending rigidity to said network, and means on said network at aplurality of points for mounting said network upon a base.

3. A substantially complete radio circuit in which the conductors form aquickly assembled rigid unitary network adapted to carry and supportwithin itself the electrical instruments of said circuit, comprising aplurality of rigid conductors, and interlocking quick ass'einbling anddetachable means on said conductors for joining said conductorsagrarian-earn and rigid 'unitary'iietwo'rk.

It is within- 4-. A substantially coin lete radio circuit in which theconductors Form a quickly assembled rigid unitary network adapted tocarry and support Within itself the electrical instruments of saidcircuit, comprising a plurality of rigid conductors, quick assemblingand detacl'iable means on said conductors for joining said conductorstogether to form said rigid unitary network, and electrical instrumentsin said circuit, said electrical instruments joined in and supportedsolely by said network.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this30th day of March 1927.

FREDERICK KENNETH HERSCHMANN.

